Darren Fletcher has warned Cesc Fabregas to expect rough treatment when Arsenal line up against Manchester United tonight.

Sir Alex Ferguson's midfield enforcer singled out his Gunners rival, who only recently returned from near four-month absence with knee ligament damage, ahead of the Champions League semi-final first leg.

Fletcher says United will put Fabregas and his Arsenal team-mates to the test, threatening to lift the lid on a simmering rivalry that has often boiled over in recent years.

'Fabregas is a top-class player,' said the 25-year-old. 'You expect to come up against players like that at this level but you can’t show them too much respect.

'You’ve got to see if they’re ready for a battle, if they fancy it and we’ll definitely take the game to them. If we win more individual battles, then we should come out on top.'

The match brings together two of the Premier League's biggest rivals for the first time in Europe's premier club competition. And Fletcher believes the showdown will suit his side perfectly.

Middle man: Darren Fletcher has been a regular for United this season

'We need to create a high tempo and have the fans behind us, especially since we're at home first,' he said. 'We must play a really quick game, a British-style game. That would definitely suit us.

'We know what to expect from Arsenal, we've played against them a lot and they're top a team. They like to get the ball down, they're one of the best sides in the country at little intricate passes, and we've got to be ready for that.'